A MEMBER of a motor cycle gang was “executed” by members of a rival gang in a “military style operation” as he sped along a Midland motorway, a court heard.

Gerry Tobin, aged 35, the victim of a “cold blooded” plan, died in a split second when he was shot with a revolver fired from a car

Malcolm Bull, 53, from Milton Keynes, Ian Cameron, 46, of no fixed address, Simon Turner, 41, from Nuneaton, Karl Garside, 45, his brother Dane Garside, 42, and Dean Taylor, 46, all from Coventry, have all denied a charge of murder and possessing two shotguns.

Turner and Dane Garside have also pleaded not guilty to possessing a firearm with intent.

Timothy Raggatt, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said the incident happened on a sunny Sunday afternoon, August 12 last year, on the M40 near Warwick Services.

He said Mr Tobin, who worked as a service manager for Harley Davidson in south London, held a senior position with the bikers’ organisation the Hell’s Angels.

The defendants were all members of another bikers’ group, based in Coventry, called the Outlaws and at the heart of what happened was the rivalry between the two gangs.

Mr Raggatt said before the shooting the victim, who was passionately interested in motorcycles, had attended the Bulldog Bash, a festival held for Hell’s Angels at Long Marston, near Stratford-upon-Avon.

“Long Marston is a part of the country that the Outlaws regard as ‘theirs,’ part of their patch or territory, if you like. If that does emerge, as I suggest it will, you may think it has some significance,” he said.

“The incident was, you may come to think, thoroughly ruthless, executed with great skill, precision and great timing and ultimately the product of a great deal of planning and attention to detail.”

Mr Raggatt said there was evidence that defendants had carried out a scouting mission during the days before and that on the day in question there were two teams “covering” different exits of the motorway

He said the shot was fired from a moving vehicle travelling at something like 88 to 90 mph which had approached the victim, who was riding in convoy with two other motorcyclists, from behind.

He said that a second shot had also been fired at the motorcyclist as “insurance” which hit his mud guard and was designed to make him fall off his machine.

Mr Raggatt said the car containing Mr Tobin’s killers carried on for a short while along the motorway before turning off towards Coventry and that those involved were careful to dispose of incriminating evidence including guns and the vehicle itself which was burnt out.

“This was a man who was targeted, not because of who he was but because of what he was,” he added.